Mechanical tuning means



` 0 :t. 9, 1945. s. s. cRAMER MECHANICAL TUNING MEANS Filed Match 12, 1938 2 sheets-sheet 1` @7j ATTORNEY Oct. 9, 1,945. s.,s CRAMER MECHANICAL TUNING MEANS Filed March 12. 1958 42 sheets-sheet 2 I in n @if ATTORNEY n position.

Patented Oct. 9, 1945 vStanley .S. Cramer, Haddon Heights,`N. .J., avs-.`

.'signor,"by 'mesne assignments, to Condenser velopmentCopbration, Newark, N. J., a cor-l' l. poratonyofNew Jersey rumaenien-March `12, 193s., senil'rma-195,503-H (CLM-10)" v 51e' Claims.

:This invention relates 'to va mechanical tuning mechanism yespecially ladapted for use in -connec'- tion with radio receiving sets.v

ln the usual radio receiving set, 'the-tuning i's done by ta single dial -orknob positioned on the `iront.pan'el'of the set, but there are a largenumlber of persons who, ror-one reason or another, cannot properly tune inthe various stations Keven yby turning 'the knob iback and forth when 'they thinkthey are close 'to the yproper tuning point. Inaddition5 there are va great many who Iuse only very -few stations Whose programs Vappear to them, and they prefer to have a receiving set Vso constructed that 'these lfavorite 'stations may be quickly selected and accurately tuned.

It is the principal object of my invention to provide a manually operated mechanism which Will automatically tune in a plurality of stations by merely pushing inthebutton corresponding to the desired station. g

Another object lof my invention is to providea kmechanical tuning mechanism in which the desired stations may be picked out and setup on the mechanism by merely turning the button, which is also utilized -fo'r selecting the desired station once it has been s'et up 'on the mechanism. f

Anotherobject of my invention is to provide a mechanical tuning structure having a pluralityof presetting buttons which, when operated to select a desired station, will maintain this position until another 'button is pushed to select a different station.

These and other objectswill `be clear to' one skilled in'this-art from a reading 'of the following specication, taken in connection with the annexed drawings,V wherein:

Figure lis a planY View of my mechanical tuning structure connected to a tuning device of a radio receiving set, such as a variable condenser, one of the buttons being pushed into tun-ing Figure 2 is a front view of the panel of the receiving 'set showing the arrangement of buttons as used in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a rear view of the ing mechanism. Figure 4 is a part-sectional, and parteleva- ,tional view on the line 4-.4 of Figure 1. Figure 5 is a view on the line 5-5 of Figure 1 vWith-certain of the parts being omitted.

Figure 6 is a vieWon the line 6 6 of Figure 1,

mechanical tun` Athe return spring for the tuning unit being O mitted.`. Y u 37,. Figure *'Zisja viewon the line 'I-T of Figure 1.

thefendframemembersS-and 6'.

r or otherwise fastened-to a rod 2'4.

` Figure V8 is a View on 'the lineA-*B of Figure 1. Figure-9 is azperspective view 'of the guide' and support member for fonevof the tuning units'.

Figure 1U i's a fragmentary viewof one'ofthe toothed racksguided and 1suppo'rte'dby the guide and 'support membersh'own in 'Figure 9. Figure =11 is' a perspectivevieW-'cr one of 'the adjusting rdevices used vinv 'connection with the .tuning unit. p

lFigure;` 1.2 is a longitudinal view, vpart insection and'p'art in elevation, showing the' manner in Which the kadjusting devices are supported in the tuning -unit. :Referring nlow to 'the details, wherein like numbers refer tccorrespondin'g parts inthe various-views', I is a frame' member of a radio receivf- 'ing set carrying a tuning element 2j, a thrcegang condenser :being illustrated. 'The rotor'element of the condenser 2 has afshat Y3 fwhich is adapted to be connected in asuita'ble manner to a rotatable shaft 4 supported byend plates' 5 'and 6 pf a mechanical tuning mechanism. `''hesliaft 4 has Agear teeth rlongitudinally of its length "and, as illustrated, the'teeth are `continuous between The Vmechzniical tuning mechanism: as il=lustraced., is .composed @of lsix tuning units, eac-h unit `being made vungenerall-y in the form'shown in Figures'l and 41.' Each unit has a guide-and support member 1., with arms 8f and 8 extending thereirom.; The 'arms `8 and @have-stop shoulders |9 vand Htherein Vfor a purpose which Will be hereinafter pointed out. The arm -8 'is provided with a holer t2 for a stop pinlai-see :Figure if); The arm `Siis'alsoprovided with notches i4 and l5 Whichareengaged by a locking lever l'actuated in a direction to engage the 'said .notches by a spring l1. i

As-shown in 'Figure 9, rthe guide=andesupport member] is -formed'witha flange i8 having two holes wand 2Q thercinc Positioned in the hdle I9 is a bushing 2l, and carried 'by-the bushing -2|` is'abea-ri-ng collar 22- forming part of a gear- VWheelAv 23 which, in may be .formed integrally The' 'gear 23 maybemaderseparatevvfrom the rod 24, in which vcase the rod 424 passes Ati'xrough'the gear and forms theA collar 212-. Partly' supportedwby the collar 22, is a retainingplateiwhich is held' in place on thegcollarfZZ by'stakingor spinning over'the end of the collar. -A' bushing 26, similar to the bushingf., is positioned in the hole 20' of the flange I8, and in the bushing 2B 'is carried a v"bearing collar?! .carried by or integral with a guide-and-stop member 3l. The member 3l hasv a slot 32 therein to receive the inner edge of the arm 8 of the guide-and-support member 1*. A

similar guide-and-stop member v3| is carried on,v the screw-threaded member 30 `and its slot ,32j

engages the inner edge of the arm 9.

ator need to do, to pick out the selected station, is to merely push in on the buttons 38 for the stations desired.

By this arrangement it is seen that the operator can very readily tune in his own mechanism, without getting into the set with tools to make internal adjustments, as is common on other devices with which I am familiar; and, likewise, the operator may set up another station on any one of the buttons in a few seconds time. While the button 38 may be turned to change the re- Guided and supported by the arms 8 and 9,

are two similarly constructed toothed members or racks 33, each having a longitudinal groove 34 therein to receive the inner edges of the arms 8 and 9. As will be seen from Figure 4, the toothed members 33 are disposed on opposite sides of the toothed shaft 4 for turning it ina manner which will be shortly explained.

Each unit has a return spring 35 having one end fastened to the frame member 36, while the other end is attached at 31 to the upper arm 8 of the guide-and-support member 1. The rod 24 has a push-button 38 securely fastened thereto for operating the unit and for tuning in the desired station, so that the operating unit shown in detailv in Figure 4 will pick up'this station at the time that its button is pushed.

Referring now to the operation of the mechanical tuning mechanism, and referring to Figures 1 and 4, in which the left-hand button of Figure l is pushed to tuning position, hit is to be understood that when the button '38 and the rod 24 are pushed'inwardly, either the screw-threaded device 29-or 30 will engage the end of its co-` operative rack 33 with which it is in alignment and will push it to turn the shaft 4. The amount which the shaft 4 is turned will -depend on the relative position of the screw-threaded members 29 and 30, and when both rack ends are engaged by the ends of the screw-threaded members 29 and 38, no further rotation of the shaft 4 is produced, this adjustment or setting of the members 29 and 30 being the tuning position for that particular unit. This relative position of the members 29 and 30 can be set by turning the knob 38 and likewise the rod 24 to turn the gears 23 and 28.v Turning the knob 38 will cause the screw-threaded members 29 and 39 to move in opposite parallel directions without turning, since they are held from turning by the members 3|; but since the collars 22 and 21 are turned by their respective gears 23 and 28, the screwthreaded members 29 and 30 will be caused to travel, as explained, in reverse direction according to the rotation of the button 38. The stops I and H4 serve to limit the adjustment of the members 29 and 30. 11 v From this it will be understood that when a person wants to select six different stations, corresponding to the six buttons shown in Figure 2, all the operator needs to do is to push in the button 38 to carry the unit into tuning position as shown in Figure 4, and then turn the knob 38 which will cause the racks 33 to travel in opposite directions, turning the shaft 4 and thereby the tuning shaft 3 of the tuning condenser.

After the station has been brought into the proper tuning'position, another button 38 maybe pushed, releasing the rst, and another station selected in va similar manner. Thereafter, all the operlationshp of the screw-threaded members 29 and l39 without pushing it into tuning position, as shown in Figure 4, this means that the unit would lhave to be pushed into tuning position to determine whether or not the station was properly tuned, so that the preferable Way of tuning is that as first described.

One of the screw-threaded devices, such as 29, which is in alignment or associated With the push rod 24, is preferably provided with a resilient end, which, as illustrated in Figure 11, is an outwardly, spring-pressed plunger 39 located inits extremity. This is to provide a final press- `ing movement of the support member 1 after the ends of the members 29 and 30 have contacted with the ends of the racks 33, and will thus allow the support member 'l to be carried a little farther in order to allow the catch I6 to'drop into the notch I 5 to hold the tuning unit in tuning position. The notch I4 engages vthe locking member I6 to assist in limiting the return movement of the tuning unit after it has been released from the notch l5 by another tuning unit.

`To assist in operating the buttons 38, I prefer to mount on the front of the panel, a finger grip in the form of a rail 40 which is adapted to be engaged by the fingers of the operator, and the thumb used for pushing in the buttons. This arrangement equalizes the forces that are applied to the set and cbviates any tendency to move or disturb V`the cabinet.

It will be seen from Figure 1, that the guideand-support members 1 are arranged in reverse position and the push button 38 and rod 24 on the nearest unit to the right of the one shown in operated position in Figure 1, are at the bottom, so that the screw-threaded devices 29 and 30 are in reverse position on alternate buttons. This is merely to'carry out a symmetrical arrangement of the buttons on the front of the panel and does not affect the principles of operationof the mechanism. The co-ndenser shaft may have an extension 4I to which a direct drive for operating the rotor may be attached.

It will be obvious that other changes may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. For a radio receiving set having a tuning device With a movable part for tuning circuits inthe set,l means for operating said movable part of the tuning device including; a frame carry- Ainga rotatable shaft having gear-teeth thereon Ytioned on opposite sides of said shaft, toothed rack members guided, one each, by said arms in mesh with. the gear-teeth on said shaft, a pair of r ,screwthreaded members in :augment with 'said racks, with .means carried thereon :slidablyen- ,gaging .said f'support: `farms for' preventing lsaid threaded' members *from turning, a vpair -of vgears rotatabhf carriedby said guide-andesnpport member i and being internally threaded to support veneeach ci, said screw-'threaded members, one 'hff said Z-gears having aired Aassociated therewith, -with'means on 'thefrodfo'r pushing the Vunit laterally to cause said screw-threaded membersftoilfo success'ively engage said racks to turn said shaft -nxitihboth ylof said :screw-threaded' members are `inengagementwith their respective racks.`

Y l 2.V A ,mechanical tuning'means as set forth Vin claim yl, further characterizedin that `said rod iszrotatafbly'mounted toi turn sai-d gears tof-adjust'said screw-threaded members to lselecta de- -sired station-zas; described. f

Y `3. Meenemen tuning'k :means asl serk forth in vclaim 1, further characterizedV in that one 'of-f .said screw-threaded members 'has a resilient end for engaging 4the end of its cooperative rack.

4; :Mechanical tuningy means: as set forth in 'claim 1,v further characterized kin that one of said screw-threaded :members has a; plunger vresiliently mounted'inits endv fori engaging the iendof its associated rack.

,5.1Mechanica tuning means as set forth in claim 1, further characterized inthat said racks have longitudinal grooves therein which receive 'the inner edges of said support arms and slide thereon.

6. Mechanical tuning means as set forth in claim 1, further characterized in that said racks have longitudinal groovesl therein which receive the inner edges of said support' arms and slide thereon, means for engaging one of said support arms for locking the unit in Aoperated position, and spring means connectedto the other support arms and to the frame for returning any one Vunit to idle position on operation of another unit.

7. For a radio receiving set having a tuning device With a movable part for tuning circuits in the set, means for operating said movable part of the tuning device including; a frame carrying a rotatable shaft having gear-teeth thereon disposed along its length and adapted to be connected to said movable part of the tuning device,

a plurality of actuating units each corresponding to a radio station desired to be selected carried by said frame, each unit including a pair of toothed rack members slidablyrpositioned, one on each side of said shaft, and inengagement with the gear-teeth thereon, a pair of screw-threaded members non-rotatably mounted in alignment one each with said racks but set so they successively engage their respective racks, and manual ypush means for moving said screws simultaneously longitudinally of their length without turning them to move said racks yaccording to the setting of said -screw-threaded members to turn the shaft.

8. For a radio receiving set having a tuningv to a radio station desired to be selected carried by said frame, each unit including a pair of toothed rack members slidably positioned, one on "each side of said shaft, and in engagement with the gear-teeth thereon, a pair of screw-threaded n so it willpick up any ldesi-red station.` 1

L9. Fora radio receivin'gset having a tuning devicewi-th :ai movable Apart for'tuning circuits in the-set, means for operating `said'rnevable part of the f turiingdeviee vir'ic'lucling, a shaft having gearfteeth ydisposed 'thereon along its length, a plurality-of push-button Aunits spaced'longitudinally of the shaft, oneior each' station to be selected, mounted ffor'motionfinthe'direction of the push and `transversely VVEto 'the 'axis' rof the shaft, vsaid l unitshaving parts with teeth thereinto'engage the teeth-insana shaft to turn it, said unit having Ymeans adjustable by rotation `of its push-button for setting partsiof it'sunit so the shaft on rotation will selectadesired station.v

"101. l'crl a radioreceiving -set having a tuning ldevice with la movable partv for tuning circuits kin 'the set,*means foroperatingsaid movable part of the tuning device including, a 'shaft having gear- .teeth thereon, a plurality of units, one for each station desired to be selected, slidably mounted for motion at right angles to the axis of said shaft, each of said units having parts with teeth therein to engage the teeth on the shaft to turn it, a rod and push-button connected to the unit for pushing it to cause rotation of the shaft, and means connected to the rod for setting parts of the unit on rotation of the push-button so the mit will turn the shaft to select a desired stalon.

11. Mechanical tuning means as set forth in claim K10, characterized in that the unit includes a support member having two arms extending,

- one on each side of the shaft, a toothed rack for each arm guided and supported thereby, a screw member for each rack non-rotatably carried by the support to move the racks, a pair of intermeshmg gears for simultaneously moving said Yscrew members in opposite direction, and a rod and push-button for transversely moving the whole unit and being rotatable to select a station to be picked up by a transverse push of the unit.

12. Mechanical tuning means as set forth in claim 10, characterized in that the unit includes a support member having two arms extending, one on each side of the shaft, a toothed rack for each varm and having a longitudinal groove therein to receive the inner edge of its associated arm, a screw-threaded member for engaging each rack non-rotatably mounted, a gear for each screw-threaded member and having an internally threaded part to receive one of the screwthreaded members which are set to successively engage their 'respective racks, a rod and pushbutton connected to one of said gears, the pushbutton serving to push the unit laterally tocause said screw-threaded members to successively engage and move said racks to turn the shaft and also serving, when rotated, to tune in a station desired to be selected by said unit.

y13. For a radio receiving set having a tuning device with a movable part for tuning circuits in the set, means for operating said movable part of the tuning device including, a shaft having gear-teeth thereon, a plurality of units, Aone for each station desired to be selected, slidably mounted for motion at right angles to the axis of said shaft, each of said units having a pair of reciprocating racks engaging the shaft on opposite sides thereof, -a pairv of screw-threaded members in alignment with said racks to engage one end thereof, means for simultaneously moving said screw-threaded members in opposite directions without turning them to vary the time when they will engage their respective racks, said lastmentioned means comprising a rod and pushbutton which also serve to push the unit transversely of the shaft to cause rotation thereof.

14. lIn a radio receiving set, the combination of a movable tuning element, a plurality of manually operated units, each associated with a chosen radio frequency and each, when operated, adapted to move said tuning element, each unit having a support member carrying means for engaging said tuning element, said support membery carrying devices for actuating said means, a rod and push-button rotatably fastened to said support member, and means associated with said rod for setting said devices on rotation of said push-button and rod so they engage said lmeans at different intervals whereby a desired station is brought under control of said unit, said unit being operated to bring in a selected station. b pushing in on the push-button.

two reciprocating members engaging said tuning element so as toA positivelyturn it and said devices comprising two screw-th'readed members Anon-rotatably mounted but movable longitudinally of their Vaxes on rotation of the push-button to thereby `change the time when they will engage said reciprocating members for the purpose described.

16. The combination as set forth in claim 14, further characterized in that said means'include two reciprocating members engaging said tuning element so as to positively turn it and said devices comprising two screw-threaded members non-rotatably mounted but Vmovable longitudinally of their axes on rotation of the push-button to thereby change the time when they will engage said reciprocating members for the purpose described, one of said'screw-threaded members being in alignment with the push-button and having a resilient end for engaging its cooperative reciprocating member to allow the support member to be given a nal push to lock it in tuning position, and means for engaging said support member to lock it in tuning position.

STANLEY s. CRAMER. 

